on a silver platter

English

Prepositional phrase

on a silver platter

1. (being given something) too easily, more than one deserves
   • 1908, Pamphlets on Trade Unions - Volume 1, page 56:

     The plainest and simplest is that it is "up to" the automobile workers themselves. Quite obviously, "nothing is going to be handed to them on a silver platter!" Their intelligence, courage and solidarity must answer the question which modern industry puts to them.

   • 1973, United States Joint Publications Research Service, Translations on Near East and North Africa - Issues 878-886, Joint Publications Research Service, page 73:

     On the other hand, the youth should not wait for an invitation to be active and for readymade programs and plans of actions presented to them on a silver platter. The youth themselves should demonstrate initiative..

   • 1990, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Daily Report. West Europe, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, page 41:

     It is such awkward moves that create frustration within the coalition and, at the same time, present the arguments to the Opposition on a silver platter.

   • 2012, Gar Anthony Haywood, It's Not a Pretty Sight, Open Road Media, →ISBN, page 32:

     Even as the investigator was handing Dartmouth over to him on a silver platter, Goody was whining and complaining, defending himself against the constant and wholly imaginary threat of being taken advantage of.

See also

• on a platter
• on a plate

Further reading

• “on a silver platter” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.
• “on a silver platter”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “give hand sth to sb on a silver platter”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.